Ten Years Late Episode 27 Recap
> Ten Years Late Recaps
Yuan Lai stayed overnight to care for an inebriated Jin Ran. She discovered a small avatar of herself drawn in his book, which brought back fond memories of their college days, making her heart stir. She then fell asleep beside him. The next morning, Jin Ran tenderly kissed Yuan Lai upon waking. Yuan Lai, conscious of being late for work, hurriedly tried to leave but was caught at her apartment door by her parents.
From inside, Jin Ran loudly called her name, asking her to have lunch with him. Yuan Lai, embarrassed and trying to keep their secret, told him to shut up, but he persisted, forcing her to reluctantly agree before she could make her escape. At work, Fei noticed Yuan Lai was still wearing the same clothes from the day before and playfully suggested she had a romantic night.
Yuan Lai tried to brush it off, telling Fei to focus on work and that she simply didn't feel like changing. However, Jin Ran then arrived and publicly returned her necklace, which she had forgotten on his vanity unit that morning. This immediately exposed their overnight stay, leaving Yuan Lai deeply embarrassed. Zhao Chengzhi attempted to persuade his father, Professor Zhao, to accept Shen Shuangshuang, highlighting her good nature despite her naughtiness and her improved performance at work.
However, Professor Zhao remained unconvinced, criticizing Shuangshuang's past academic record and predicting she would negatively influence Chengzhi. He even chided Chengzhi for wearing ripped jeans, which Shuangshuang had bought for him, and for his college photography hobby, calling it "unprofessional." Feeling discouraged, Shuangshuang wondered if they should elope, but Chengzhi proposed she try to win his father over by demonstrating her newfound maturity.
He helped her pick out a tie as a gift for his father, which Shuangshuang insisted on paying for herself to show sincerity. Upon arriving at Professor Zhao's home, Shuangshuang's attempts to impress quickly backfired. She candidly remarked that Chengzhi had called his father stubborn, which Chengzhi tried to subtly interrupt with coughs. Misinterpreting this, Shuangshuang offered him water, but then accidentally spilled it all over Professor Zhao's prized, imported collection book. Professor Zhao's annoyance grew.
Chengzhi tried to encourage his father to open Shuangshuang's gift, but when Professor Zhao did, he was shocked to find lace lingerie inside instead of a tie. Infuriated, he stormed off, leaving Chengzhi to humorously declare that they would now truly have to elope. Jin Ran received good news over the phone from a business associate just before a company meeting.
During the meeting, Vincent announced that Jin Ran would temporarily take over as General Manager following Ji Aoting's departure, while Yuan Lai would oversee products and report to Jin Ran. Jin Ran then proposed an innovative tourism-property project on Peixin Island in partnership with Zhang's Property. He explained that Zhang's Property would handle construction, while Feitu would manage promotion and leasing of vacation homes, sharing the profits.
A colleague praised the idea, noting Peixin Island's high hotel prices and tight supply, seeing it as a way to diversify revenue. Vincent fully supported the project, recognizing its potential to break through industry bottlenecks and create new profit growth. Yuan Lai, however, raised concerns about the Lan Town project, questioning if all their previous work would be abandoned. Jin Ran casually suggested letting it go, hoping Ji Aoting would develop Lan Town tourism first.
This response sparked Yuan Lai's suspicion, as she recalled Jin Ran mentioning his early doubts about Ji Aoting's loyalty when clients were poached. She began to fear that Jin Ran had intentionally withheld his true intentions and never planned to invest in Lan Town from the start.
Yuan Lai then had a private conversation with Jin Ran, pressing him on when he first discovered Ji Aoting's deception and why he didn't inform her earlier, especially regarding the seemingly abandoned Lan Town project. Jin Ran revealed he knew when clients were poached and subtly reiterated his intention for Ji Aoting to spearhead Lan Town's development. This only solidified Yuan Lai's suspicion that Jin Ran's ultimate focus was indeed Peixin Island, and his actions were cunningly orchestrated.
Back at Yuan Lai's home, her mother intercepted her, concerned about her overnight absence. Yuan Lai tried to dismiss her mother's questions, claiming she had been out for a run. Her mother then grilled her about whether she was with Chengzhi or Ding Ang, finally speculating if she was reconciling with Jin Ran. Yuan Lai admitted she was "considering" it.
Her mother cautioned her against Jin Ran, reminding her of their past painful memories and his unknown experiences in recent years, expressing concern that Yuan Lai might be taken advantage of, and explicitly asking if she had slept with him. Yuan Lai firmly denied that anything had happened between them. Meanwhile, Ji Aoting, watching news reports about Feitu's Peixin Island project, pieced together Jin Ran's true intentions.
He realized that Jin Ran had played him, using the Lan Town project as an elaborate trap. Jin Ran never wanted Lan Town, which was profitless; he merely created a "big cake" to entice Ji Aoting. Ji Aoting understood that by developing Lan Town, he was inadvertently driving up property values on the nearby Peixin Island, allowing Feitu to gain substantial profits without direct investment.
Ji Aoting called Yuan Lai, subtly trying to discuss the Lan Town project, implying it was "her painstaking project." Yuan Lai, however, dismissed his attempt, stating the project no longer concerned her and she had accepted the loss. They then met in person, where Ji Aoting confronted her, explaining that Lan Town was a trap and Jin Ran never intended to win it, only to ensnare him. He questioned if she cared about being used by Jin Ran.
Yuan Lai coolly asserted that she simply followed her superior's instructions and didn't consider whether her efforts were "sacrificed." She then shocked Ji Aoting by revealing she had known Jin Ran's true intentions all along and merely pretended ignorance. She accused Ji Aoting of hypocrisy, stating she never expected him to betray the company and them.
Despite his claims of "secret troubles," Yuan Lai declared they needed to "start over to learn about each other" and that he had no one to blame but himself for falling into Jin Ran's trap. She maintained that Jin Ran had done nothing wrong, as his scheme wouldn't have worked if Ji Aoting hadn't first betrayed Feitu.
Acknowledging her gratitude for his past trust and mentorship, Yuan Lai made it clear that after his betrayal, there would be no future for them to work together. She wished Taihe success with the Lan Town project and departed, pointedly ignoring Jin Ran's incoming phone call. Aimei, led by President Jiang, faced a significant downturn as its Kacal cellphone sales plummeted and stock prices fell due to fierce competition from Sinda's cheaper, knock-off products.
Xinyi, Ding Ang's wife, was worried and worked with her colleagues to formulate a market strategy. When Ding Ang picked her up, he feigned indifference to Aimei's troubles, though he secretly checked the stock market later, betraying his concern for his mother. President Jiang, meanwhile, confided in Xinyi, lamenting her strained relationship with Ding Ang and her son's perceived lack of concern, even as she excitedly showed off baby girl clothes she bought for Xinyi.
She then enlisted Xinyi's help to devise a new marketing plan, aiming for a "great counterattack" against the knock-offs by developing unique new features. Xinyi readily agreed to do her best. Later, Ding Ang's e-sports team secured another championship, and he was mobbed by adoring fans. Xinyi, witnessing his immense popularity, realized he could be the perfect spokesperson for Kacal, aligning the phone with the e-sports world. That evening, Xinyi, uncharacteristically, prepared a "super delicious love salad" for Ding Ang.
Sensing her ulterior motive, Ding Ang playfully resisted, pointing out her unusual behavior and his knowledge that such gestures usually preceded a "bother." Xinyi candidly asked him to endorse Kacal as its spokesperson, arguing that his fame as an e-sports guru would sway his many fans. Ding Ang, initially reluctant and stating his principles against "groundless stories" or "plagiarism," eventually agreed, declaring it his first step into life as a spokesperson, much to Xinyi's delight.
Following Ding Ang's endorsement, Kacal cellphone sales soared, breaking new records and securing a significant "comeback victory." President Jiang was immensely pleased, finally beginning to understand and appreciate Ding Ang's e-sports career. Jin Ran intercepted Yuan Lai during her evening run, questioning why she ignored his calls and noting her habit of running and speaking concisely when angry.
Yuan Lai, still upset, initially told him to discuss work matters during office hours, but he insisted on clarifying the Lan Town situation immediately to prevent further misunderstandings. Jin Ran explained that Lan Town was never his ultimate goal; it was a strategy to lure Ji Aoting, knowing he planned to betray the company. By making Ji Aoting develop Lan Town, he intended to both expose Ji Aoting's true colors and indirectly boost property values on Peixin Island.
He admitted he didn't tell Yuan Lai earlier because her straightforward nature made her ill-suited for keeping such a complex secret, fearing Ji Aoting would see through the plan. Yuan Lai acknowledged that she now understood Ji Aoting's deception but expressed deep disappointment and a sense of wasted effort, feeling that Jin Ran found her struggles amusing. She told him that while she rationally understood his professional reasons, emotionally, she felt let down and needed time to process everything.
A dejected Jin Ran visited Gu Yang at his coffee shop, sharing his emotional turmoil after Yuan Lai felt used by his tactics. Gu Yang offered a metaphor of a tangled thread, advising Jin Ran to be patient and trust that Yuan Lai, being clever, would eventually understand and approach him when she thought things through. He assured Jin Ran that Yuan Lai would not leave him.
Meanwhile, at home, Shuangshuang and Chengzhi bickered while searching for an important contract, blaming each other for misplacing it. During the search, Shuangshuang stumbled upon an old, dusty camera lens—a gift she had given Chengzhi—reminding her of his abandoned photography hobby. Chengzhi admitted he had been too swamped with work to pursue it.
